1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cabinets for housing pieces of electrical equipment, and more particularly, to such a cabinet having a barrier with an integrally formed drip channel for separating the pieces of electrical equipment and resisting penetration of water into the cabinet.
2. Background Information
Typically, electrical equipment is housed within a cabinet to, for example, limit access to the electrical equipment for safety reasons or to protect the electrical equipment from the weather when it is necessary to place the electrical equipment in an outdoor environment. One example of electrical equipment contained within a housing that must address both the safety and weather concerns is a meter center. Meter centers are used for metering electric power delivered to multiple tenants from a common feeder system and are usually mounted to the exterior of a building. Typically, a meter center includes an upright cabinet forming an enclosure divided into side-by-side meter and disconnect switch compartments. Obviously, it is important to prevent undesired access to the meter center to prevent bodily injury. It is also important to limit or resist the penetration of water into the meter center to maintain the integrity and operability of the electrical equipment contained therein.
The construction of such meter centers is known to include a barrier wall between the meter compartment and disconnect switch compartment and to employ cover members to allow access to one or both of the compartments. Thus, if one is accessing, for example, the meter compartment following removal of the appropriate cover member, the barrier wall prevents access to the disconnect switch compartment. Of course, the same holds true if one is accessing the disconnect switch compartment where the barrier wall would restrict access to the meter compartment. Because of the seam or joint formed by the cover members, such meter centers are also known to have a drip channel attached to the barrier wall such that the drip channel extends longitudinally adjacent the seam or joint. The drip channel resists the penetration of water into the meter center. Typically, the meter center is attached to the barrier wall by fastening means, such as a bolt or screw. One example of such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,574.
It has been determined that a drip channel that is bolted or screwed to a barrier wall has several disadvantages. For example, the formation of rust in or around the location of the bolt or screw, typically caused by water reaching the drip channel, can eventually result in the degradation of the drip channel and allow water to penetrate the meter center. In addition, connecting a drip channel to a barrier wall using the described bolt or screw arrangement where the drip channel is typically wider than the barrier wall, results in the formation of an unstable structure. This is an undesirable result, particularly because the barrier wall and drip channel provides structural support to the cabinet making up the meter center.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved structure for separating compartments of a cabinet for housing electrical equipment, such as a meter center.
There is also a need for such an improved structure that more effectively and durably resists the penetration of water into the cabinet.
There is a further need for such an improved structure that provides an effective and reliable structural support for the cabinet housing the electrical equipment.
There is an additional need for such a structure which may be incorporated into existing designs of cabinets for housing electrical equipment and may be cost-effectively manufactured and installed.